The present invention relates to a parachute canopy quick release device.
Releasing an entangled main canopy from a person or package in free fall is the first step in the sequence of deploying a reserve canopy. If the entangled main canopy is not released, the possibility that the reserve canopy will become entangled with the main canopy is significant. A main canopy may also have to be released after a person/package has landed, in order to prevent the canopy from inflating, due to wind, and dragging the person along the ground. This scenario is particularly important if high winds exist in the landing area.
When used by a person, a canopy is attached at the person's right and left shoulders by the canopy risers.
Several devices exist in an attempt to release the main canopy. Some prior art devices require the user to separately release a mechanism at each shoulder. These devices require a relatively long period to release, a disadvantage when an individual is falling at terminal velocity, about 120 mph, at low altitudes.
Other devices automatically release the canopy at both shoulders when a person pulls a cord; however these devices are easily assembled in an improper manner and thus prone to failure.
Some prior art devices fail in use and only release one side of the canopy and not the other. The user is thus faced with the unpleasant option of trying to clear the malfunction and running out of altitude, or releasing the reserve into the main, with the increased chance of reserve failure.
Some prior art devices require lubrication and are thus prone to failure if the lubricant is lacking. An overly lubricated device may stain the canopy's risers or the user's clothing, or the lubricant can adversely affect riser strength.
Other prior art devices require a relatively force to activate, or are large, bulky, relatively heavy, or easily fouled by dirt.
Multiple problems have been identified with one of the most popular systems, commonly called a three-ring release. The rings may deform under high loads. The rings must have metal-to-metal contact: if the large ring is not in contact with the second ring, but is touching the riser webbing, the load transferred to the small ring and loop is drastically increased. Rings also sometimes deform when the parachutist opens the canopy while falling in an unstable attitude, thereby placing a high load on the rings. Rings must be rotated periodically to prevent elongation or deformation.